The Best Comic Book Games Never Made

The industry has seen an influx of games based on comic properties the past few years – usually coinciding with a big-screen movie debut. Game Informer plays home to more than one comic book aficionado, and as such, we decided to play make-believe with a few unlikely comic properties that could – with the right team and a bit of magic – be translated into stellar games. Superheroes in capes are overdone. Check out our list of improbable comic-to-game candidates below.

The Pitch: The way we see it, there are dozens of reasons Preacher would translate into an action-packed game. A nominee and recipient of several Eisner Awards for best writer, Garth Ennis fleshed out a story like nothing we’ve read before. The cast of colorful characters (the understatement of the century) includes Jesse Custer – a reverend who makes it his personal mission to extract revenge on God, Tulip O’Hare – Custer’s longtime love interest and gun fanatic, and Cassidy – the pair’s shady drug addict friend who happens to be a vampire. But, that only addresses the three main protagonists. The supporting cast includes the Saint of Killers, Arseface, Herr Starr, the Duke, and even God himself, all of whom would provide diverse gameplay and fascinating dialogue.

Key Features: The most difficult task would be maintaining Ennis’ superb storytelling and carefully crafted narrative with unapologetically violent action. Gunplay would be the bulk of combat, pitting Custer and his companions against The Grail. Custer could also use the Word of God to manipulate people to his advantage. We’d be remiss not to include a Saint of Killers segment – blasting away foes with his Walker Colt revolvers would be a thrill. The fairly linear narrative would be punctuated with flashbacks to flesh out character history and their subsequent motivations – a large part of what made Ennis’ characters so remarkable. The game would unfold through heaven, hell, and the earthly plain, all tied together by stylized Western movie influences. Sound good, Pilgrim?

Developer: Rockstar North has proven their willingness to take on controversial topics and their ability to tie together sprawling worlds with a surprisingly personal narrative. Considering the violent, sexually gratuitous, and at times disturbing nature of Preacher, we’d be hard pressed to find anyone else capable of pulling it off.